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(No Model.)

L. J. BAKER.

BOAT PLUG.

Patented May 8, 1883.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LORING J. BAKER, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF A TO FRANK P. BAKER AND JOHN W. CLARK, BOTH OF SAME PLACE.

BOAT-PLUG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of. Letters Patent No. 277,102, dated May 8, 1883.

Application filed October 30, 1882.

To all whomit may concern Be it known that I, LORING J. BAKER, of-

Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Stoppers .or Plugs for the Bottoms of Boats, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide an automatic stopper for-the bottoms of boats to which shall be held closed when the boat is in the water by the action of the water thereon,

and shall automatically open when the boatis removed from the water, so as to permit any water therein to run out; and it consists of a r 5 hollow metallic bushing or valve-chamber provided with an elastic or rubber ball-valve, so

constructed and arranged within the metal casing as to be free to move up or down within the chamber against its seatyso as to close the opening by pressure of the water beneath and fall therefrom by its own gravity when removed from the water, so as to permit any water that may have collected within the bottom of the boat to run out, and in further details of construction, as hereinafter more fully described, and set forth in the claims.

Figure 1 represents a perspective view-of my invention removed from the boat. Fig.2 represents a vertical central section of the same,

0 showing internal rubber ball-valve closed upward against its seat. Fig. 3 represents a similar view, with the rubber ball-valve open and the bottom metal stop-valve closed.

A represents a vertical cylindric shell or case,

provided at its upper end with a horizontal peripheral or outward-projectin g flange, B, provided with screw or bolt holes, whereby the same may be secured within a hole formed in the bottom of a boat to receive the cylindric 4o portion Aby screws or rivets passing through said flange and the bottom of the boat adjacent to and surrounding said portion A; and in order to prevent foreign substances from passing downward within the said case A, there 4 5 is provided a metal, wire-cloth, or other screen, 0, which is protected from injury by undue pressure from above by bars or curved trussbars E, extending over the said wire-gauze, covering the cylindric opening of the said case A. Now, in order to close the said opening of (No model.)

the said shell or case A automatically by the action of the water, an elastic or rubber ballvalve, D, is introduced within the said vertical opening through the said shell or cylindric portionof the said case A, and is adapted to be forced upward against the edge of the in: ward-projecting annular flange H, formed at the upper end of said case A, thereby closing the internal opening against the upward passage of water; and in order to retain the said rubber ball-valve D within the said shell or case A, a flat disk or valve plate, G, is fitted to close upward against the lower end of the said case A, and is connected with theinterior of the same by two or more vertical supports or lugs, L, provided with vertical slots or openin gs, which engage with projecting pins formed within the said case A, near the lower end thereof, so as to permit the said fiat valve G to be closed in case the bottom of a boat should run aground, so as to prevent mud or other substance entering therein to obstruct the free working of the said automatic rubber ballvalve D.

It will be seen that when a boats bottom is provided with the above-described plug or automatic valve stopper, when drawn ashore or removed from the water, so as to permit both valves to drop down or open, any water within the boat will be free to run out thereat, and that when placed within the water the rubber ball will float or be held up against its seat, so as to act and close the passage against the inlet of water, as shown in Fig. 2.

The size and form of the several parts and their connections with each other may be varied without departing from the essential features of my invention.

It will be seen and understood thatwhen the device is in practical use the lower flat metal valve, G, is open, and thus the water is permitted to enter the lower portion of the vertical shell or case A, and thereby hold the elastic or light hollow rubber valve D closed upward against its seat, thus preventing the' water beneath the ball-valve to flow upward through the automatic plug or stopper device above described.

I am well aware that spherical or ball valves have heretofore been employed in the bottoms valve D and flat valve G, adapted to close the 15 lower end of said shell by vertical movement, as and for the purposes set forth.

3. The combination, with the shell or case A, having the elastic ball-valve D, of the flat auxiliary valve G, provided with supports L, 20 and adapted to close the lower end of said case A by vertical movement, substantially as described, as and for the purposes set forth.

LORING J. BAKER.

Witnesses:

SYLvENUs WALKER, JosEPH S. STRATTON. 

